Molding-machine.



J'. A. FIELD. MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 28, 1912.

Patented. Nov. 25, 1913.

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J. A. FIELD..

MOLDING MACHINE. -v

. APPLIoATIoN FILED 0:11.28. 1912. v 1,079,482,- Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

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J. A. FIELD.

MOLDING MACHINE. y APPLIOATIONVHLED ouT. 2a, 1912..

` 1,079,4.82 Patented Nov.25,1913.

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Si LLQL- Inventor B a M 4 v)lift-orne);

JEssE a. .or DUNKIEK, YORK.

nonnina-MACHINE.'

Specicaton of Letters Patent. iil?m1593415(jl, 0V, 25, ,1913,

lApplication?filed October 28, I1912. Seria1No..728,259.

To all whom t may concern.' f

Be it known thatllf, JESSE A. FIELD, al citizen of the United States, 4residing at; Dunkirk, in the county yof Chautauqua and; State of New York, have invented certai-ni new and useful Improvements -in Molding-l Machines, of which the following Ais `a specificatio-n. i

This invention -relates to improvements in apparatus /for forming vmetal castings, andi primarily to the improved means for com- 1y pressing the molding-sand to formthelmold.

The principal 4object of the invention -is to secure perfect `and -uniformecompression of the molding sand, land especially that portion of the sand lying in contact with, and in -Jthe vicinity of 'the pattern. To this end the pattern and mold are moved bodily toward each other `to effectively condense and compressthe kface of the sandgmold against the contacting face 4 or surface of the pattern.

The invention also -relates to certain details of construction of the improvedapparatus which will be'fully and clearly here?` inafter described, `referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which a pre? ferred adaptation ofthe improved apparatus is illustrated.

Figure lis a front elevation of `the improved apparatus with the elements thereof in operating position in readiness lto compress the sand in a mold. Fig. 2 v'is a side elevation of the improved apparatus with the elements thereof in position for the sand mold to be compressed. l Fig. l3 yis a side elevation of the improved apparatus with the sand moldcompressed. Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of the pattern vsupporting truck. Fig. 5 is a transverse horizontal section lon line a-a Fig. '3, looking downward. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical transverse sect-ion to 'illustrate the sand mold in its compressed position. Fig. 7 isan-enlarged fragmentary section through Fig. 3 onthe same line as Fig. 6, illustrating the 'position'of the parts before the sand in the mold -is compressed. Fig. S is a detached plan view of the rectangular flask supporting frame. Fig. 9';is a transverse section through the flask on line 5w?) of Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a plan of the flask.

ln this improved apparatus instead o'f ramming the sand of vthe mold by hammers which impinge or strike fthe top surface of the sand, -and relying on `the Vforce orrapidity of the hammer blows against said topsurfaee to condenseor compress the lower portion -of lthe `sand against thespattern, the condensing or lcompressi-ng action is vsecured by Vloodily moving the contacting Aopposed surfaces ofthe pattern-andsan'd anold y'toward eachother suflicientl-y tocompressfthe sand to the desired degree. `This directly compresses thesa'ndiin contact with the pattern and produces a `sand Imold fhav'- :ing its greatest hard-ness or condensation -on^that vportion located immediately 'in fthe vicinity "of the pattern, thereby lsecuring clear, dine-fand distinct impression of V Jthe .pattern vin the surface of the mold with a surface of great densityand hardness.

In the Yfollowing description, the 'improved Yapparatus Awill rst be referred `to and explained in detail, and then the method by which the sand -moldis formed through the aid of the improved apparatus will be described.

In the preferred adaptation-of this apparatus, as illustrated, a mold-forming inachineV is suspended from an overhead rail so lthat it -ma-y `be vmoved Amanually to any desired point in the shopbyfthe workmen. The desired pattern is mounted or supported on a suitable truck whichis adapted tobe manually moved intopposition beneath the mold-forming machine. A flash is mounted on the truckover 'thepattern andfis Vfilled with sand, and the Vmachine 4is 4operated :in any desiredmanner to lift or elevate both the pattern and flask against a stationary presser-p1ate,andto then force the pattern bodily upward against `the bottom nsurface of the sand `inthe flaskfor asufficient distance to thoroughly compress and condense the sand in said flask andthereby produce a mold.

llfolclfomniag machina-The framev4 of the mold-forming Amachine is constructed substantially yas shown in Figs. 1,-2, 3, `5`and` 6, and consists offour vertical corner members 1 which are vvfirmly connected to each l other Vat the Ltop by"transverse horizontal members 2 and a toppplate 3, a bottom horizontally extending presser plate il, interme! diatetransversely extending frame members Y 5 and 6 which carry l.bearings in which the" two shafts of the machine are 'journaledf and nintermediate vertical lmembers 7 which extend fbetween and connectthe center por-- tions o-f the transverse `top` membersZ and the iframe members 5 andyfdxas s hownfin Fig. 1; The machine is suspended from an overhead rail by means of two hangers 8 and 9 which are bolted to the'top of the VVframe, andhave hooked'upper ends 10 between Ythe Vforks of which flange supporting wheels 11 are journaled, as shown in Figs.

1 andl2. The support-ing rail A`12 is supl0.Y u

115 V,and 16 Vare journaled in bearings 17 ported atiint'ervals on brackets 18 which Vare bolted to overhead fbeams 14, aslshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Twohorizontal shafts and 18 in the frame, as shown in Figs.

' 1,2, e, 5l and e. The Shaft i5, which Vis.theltnver Yshaft willr be hereinafter termed the y main {,shaft, andjis provided with a .double pulley 19, one face of which is idle.

. VThe double pulley 19 is connected by a belt l20 to a small pulley21 on 'the shaft 22 of Van electric motor 23 of suitable` size and ypower mountedon' the top of the frame, as

' shown in Figs'.` 1, 2, 3 and 6. The electric motor issuppliedwithcurrent by `means of ley wheel is ofthe usual grooved type and runs or travels in contact with a trolley ,wire-27.V The trolley wheel isV yieldingly maintained in contact with the trolley wire byxmeans of a spring 28, as shown in Fig. 2, and ycurrent Yis conducted from the trolley pole to the electric motor by a conducting wire 29. The belt 20 is shifted `from the drivingface to the idle face' of the double pulley, and vice versa, by means of a belt shifter 80 of convenient type. The main shaft 15 is provided witha small pinion 31, and the other shaft- 16, previously referred to which is mounted above the main shaft, is provided vwith a large gear wheel 32 which meshes with the pinion onl the main i shaft. -Theupper shaft 16 will be hereinafter designated as the counter shaft. Compressing ,arms 33 and 34 are vertically e mounted in opposed pairson opposite sides ,f Vof, the machine frame, as shown in Figs. 1,

2,v 3, 6 and 7. The arms of each pair are connected at their upper ends to the opposite ends of a transverse connection or yoke 35. -Each connection oryoke is provided `with 'depending vertical forks or bifurcated portions Y36 which straddle the` counter V.,shaft, as shown inV dotted lines in Fig. 6.

The object of .this construction is to maintain thefconnections or yokes against lateral movenient 'on theV counter shaft without interfering lwith the .necessary vertical movef ment; Rollers 37 are journaledin each confeo nection or yoke, asshown in Fig. 6, and

cams .38 ymounted on the counter shaft, are adaptedk to have their peripheral edges bear against 4the surface of the rollers. The ,low'erends of thecompressmg arms have rinwardly extending lugs or hooks 39 which are adapted to catch or hook beneath opposite outwardly extending lugs connected with the pattern in a manner to be hereinaftci' described. To maintain the lower portions ofthe compressing arms against outward movement, vertical slideways 4() are provided in lateral extensions 41 of the lower portion of the frame of the mold-forming machine, as shown in Fig. 6. The coiny pressing arms move freely in a vertical direction throughy these slideway openings, but are prevented by the walls of said openings from swinging either laterally out o1- longitudinallv of the machine.

Pattern supporting machina-The pattern supporting tiuck has a frame 42 and a single axle 43 mounted in depending portions 44 located at or near the center of the truck frame. Wheels 45 are journaled on the opposite ends of said axle. An operating handle 46 extends from the forward end of the truck and bends upward and is provided with a knob 47 adapted to be conveniently grasped by a workman. A smaller supporting wheel 48 is jonrnaled between de pending forks 49 of a supporting member 50 which is rotatably mounted in the front of the truck frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The truck frame is provided at the front and rear thereof with upwardly extending vertical centering pins 51. The truck frame constitutes a pattern supporting plate or bed and is provided with opposite outwardly extending side lugs 52 and 53 under which the hooked lower ends of the compressing arms are adapted to catch in the manner shown in Fig. 6. A. pattern 54 of the desired type is mounted on the pattern supporting plate or bed, and is preferably formed of metal, and hollow, as shown in Fig. 6. Chaplets 55 are arranged at intervals on the face of the pattern having their stems 56 fitted through the openings 57 shown in Fig. 4. In order that those portions of the sand lying beneath the chaplets may be compressed to the same degree, or substantially the same degree as the remainder of the sand in the mold, the chaplets are maintained in their elevated position with a spring tension. While springs employed in connection with these chaplets may be of any suitable form, the fiat form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is preferable. In these figures a flat spring 5S has one end secured within the hollow of the pattern by a screw 59 and the other end projecting beneath the stein of the chaplet, as shown in Fig. 7. Vhen the sand is being compressed in the mold, the tension of the spring maintains the chaplet in its lifted position until the pressure of sand above the chaplet becomes suliiciently strong to force the chaplet By this means the sand immediately beof-fsand in the lmold.

The Aask vis .supported land centeredabove the pattern by means of the eye-.lugs

6l through which thecentering pins 5l fit, as shown in Fig. The flask is also pro-; vided with the usual lifting handles 62, asl shown in Figs. ,2-3-5 and V10. Ribs org` bars 63 are arranged transversely of the `flaskand laterally enlarged as at 63a to reinforce the upper portion of vthe mold llaslng as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The rib'or bar 263 and the buttons 63a are preferably cast@ integral with the flask and partially form"V a part of the mold constructing a skeleton frame for the same. l

ln order that suflicient sand may be placed within the flask to 'form the mold, itV is necessary to provide a lower rectangular frame 6A of substantially the same interior size and shape as the flask, which can be placed beneath the flask to practically constitute a continuation of the flask, as shown in Fig. 6. The preferable form of this frame is shown in Fig. 8 and is Amerely an open-ended rectangular box having both the top and bottom thereof entirely vopen'.

A manually controlled means iS provided for elevating the rectangular frame from the depressed position it occupies after the llask has been properly compressed and the said flask and the completed mold have been removed7 and the pattern brushed and cleaned preparatory to forming another mold. The preferred construction of this elevating means is shown principally in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and t, to which reference is to be had. The mechanism as shown in these figures consists of two transversely arranged horizontal rock shafts 65 which are journaled in bearings beneath the frame of the truck and are widely separated from each other, double crank arms 66 mounted on opposite ends of each of said rock shafts and each carrying a roller 67 at one end adapted to contact with and bear against the `bottom edge of the rectangular frame 6st, and an operating arm 68 on one side of the rock shafts and pivoted to the lower ends of the double crank arms 66 as shown in Fig. 3. The double crank arms 66 are. each mounted at. an intermediate point on the end of the rockshaft, as shown in Fig. 3, the shorter member of each arm extending upward and the longer member extending downward and carrying the pivot at its lower end which connects it to the operating arm 66. The operating arm 68 eX- tends longitudinally of the truck and beneath the main axle at its front end with an enlarged roughened surface knob 69 against which the foot of the operator is adapted to press to force said arm rearwardly and turn the double crankarms 66 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby elevating the rectangular frame from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in F ig. 2; This brings the rectangular frame up in proper position for the fitting thereon of the flask after the spring tension chap- -lets have been fitted in plac'e in openings in the pattern.

The rock shafts are arranged to turn rather hard by employing leather friction Washers 70 as illustrated. rlfhe purpose o-f this is to maintain the crank arms and the `rectangular frame lin their elevated position against the combined weight of the rectangular frame, the lia-sk and the sand therein. llVhen the sand is compressed, the pattern and pattern supporting plate are lifted upward by the compressing arms which elevate them sufficiently to turn the double cranks from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 bringing the rectangular frame into its lower or depressed position,'as shown in Fig. 3.

VThe operation of this improved apparatus for producing sand molds is as follows: A suitable pattern is first placed upon the pattern supporting truck; the rectangular frame forming a continuation of the flask is then placed around the pattern. A

flask is then fitted on the truck over the rectangular frame, and the flask and frame are loosely filled with sand. The top surface of the `sand is scraped level with the top of the'flask, and the truck supporting the pattern and the sand filled flask and the rectangular frame are moved into position beneath the mold compressing machine. This brings the hooked ends of the compressing arms `into hooking engagement with the oppositely extending lugs on the pattern supporting plate or bed, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The mold is now in position to be compressed. rlihe operator shifts the belt by moving the handle of the belt shifter, which brings the belt from the idle face of the double pulley to the driving face of the double pulley, and the power from the electric motor begins to rotate the main shaft. rEhe rotation of the main shaft istransmitted to the counter f shaft through the meshing pinion and gear wheel mounted respectively on the mainshaft and counter shaft, and the counter shaft is slowly turned. rEhe turning of the counter shaft forces the peripheral edges ofthe cams against the rollers carried bythe yokes and gradually lifts or elevates the compressing arms. The pattern supporting plate is raised by the elevating of the compressmgarms, and forces the pattern bodily up against the opposed surface of the sand in the mold. The sand'in the .mold is thus compressed with great force between the stationary bottom Vplate of the mold compressing machine and the movable pattern supporting plate of the truck.

^ In F ig. 'fthe pattern, flask and sand mold are shown in position to be compressed, while in Fig.; 6 they vare Vshown compressed.V It

willralso Ybe noted that the Vchaplets are 1 shown in an elevated position in Fig. 7 and infa depressed position in Fig. 6.

-' The great advantage of this improved apparatus for producing a mold is that the sandl is directly compressed against the patternbyy pressureuonly, `instead Vof by the force andagitation or" the blows of a ram- Qming. hammer.

traveling at arslow rate of speed relatively to 'each other,rso that the air contained in the molding Vsandis gradually but surely forced out, thereby securing a close and firm adhesion between 'the particles of the molding sand and producing a sand mold of practically even density throughout and from which all ofthe .air has been squeezed or 'p pressed.V

if claim y f1. In an apparatus for making molds for metal castings,l a mold-forming machine consisting of a frame having av lower plate, a shaft journaled in said frame, a cam on said shaft, compressing arms slidably mounted in said frame and connected by a vtop yoke adapted to engage the cam, said Ycompressing arms having hooks at their lower ends in combination with a pattern, a plate on which said patternis mounted,

the hooked lower ends of the compressing arms being adapted to catch beneath the lower edge of said latter plate, and a flask jee containing molding sand interposed between the lowerplate of the mold-forming machine and the pattern supporting plate.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, mold-forming machine consisting of a frame, a main shaft journaled in said frame. a counter shaft journaled in said frame above the main shaft, inter-meshing gears connecting said shafts, cams mounted on the counter shaft, compressing arms adapted to operatively engage a pattern at their lower ends, means connected to the arms and operatively engaging the cams to actuate the arms, and means for rotating said main shaft.

3.* ln an apparatus of the class described, a mold-forming machine consisting of `a frame, a main shaft journaled in said frame, a counter shaft journaled in said frame above the main shaft, interineshing gears connecting said shafts, cams mounted on the counter shaft, and compressing arms yoked together in pairs and adapted to, operatively engage a pattern carrying elenient at their lower ends and to operatively engage the cams on the counter shaft at their upper ends. f

l. In an apparatus of the class described, a mold-forming machine consisting of a frame, a plurality of shafts journaled in said frame and connected to each other by intermeshiiig gears, cams mounted on one of said shafts, compressing arms adapted to'operatively engage a pattern carrying element, and yokes connecting said arms in pairs vand arranged in operative proximity to the cams.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a mold-forming machine consisting of a frame, a plurality of shafts journaled in said frame and connected to each other by intermeshing gears, cams mounted on one of said shafts, compressing arms adapted to operatively engage a pattern carrying element, yokes connecting said arms in pairs, and having' depending forked )ortions straddling one of said shafts, an rollers contacting with the edges of the cams on said shafts.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of plates, a flask located between said plates, a frame arranged on the under side of said ask, said frame practically forming a lower continuation of said flask and both said Hask and frame being adapted to be filled with molding sand, a pattern mounted on one of said plates, means for moving said latter plate and pattern through the frame to force and compress the sand in said frame into the iiask, and manually operative means for elevating said frame after the iiask and completed mold have been removed consisting of rock shafts carrying cranks adapted to press against the bottoni edge of said frame and an operating arm pivoted to said cranks.

7. In an apparatus of the class` described, a fixed plate, a movable plate adapted to support a pattern, a fiask arranged interme diate the plates, a frame underlying the flask, frame operating means normally supporting the frame in position to form a sand receiving` element with the fiask, andmeans for simultaneously moving the movable plate, flask, and frame toward the fixed plate, said means operating to cause a relative movement of the frame and movable plate.

8. In an apparatus of the class described a fixed plate, a movable plate, lugs carried by said movable plate, a frame surrounding the movable plate, means for normally supporting the frame spaced from the lugs, a

iiask supported on the frame, and plate clevating means adapted to engage the lugs to move the parts toward the fixed plate.

9. ln an apparatus of the class described relatively movable pressure plates, means for operating one of said plates With relation to the other, a sectional ask coperating with said operated plate, and means for normally supporting the sectional flask in' predetermined relation to said operated plate, the plate operating means moving the iaslr supporting means to inoperative position.

10. In an apparatus of the class described relatively movable pressure plates, means for operating one of said plates With relainoperative position.

- JESSE A. F IELD. Witnesses:

AMELIA Gr. GNTHER, L. T. WALSH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

